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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: safe · mouse · pop · rule · swing · pass · kid · rash

  1. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  7. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  20. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. swing — in golf
  3. pass — a permit
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. rule — government
  7. rule — to rule out
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. pop — to visit
  10. mouse — for a computer
  11. swing — music
  12. safe — out of danger
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. pop — music
  15. pop — soda
  16. kid — to tease
  17. swing — to play on
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — on the skin
  20. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  21. kid — child
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. rash — a series
  24. pass — to spend time

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com